Integrated Marketing
Communications major and
a Culture & Communications
minor with an interest in graphic
design. She loves a good cup of
coffee and giraffes.

Kelly Fishback is a junior

Integrated Marketing
Communications major and
Honors minor. She likes to sit
down after a long day and
indulge in watching an episode
of Breaking Bad or Homeland.

Brittany Pietrzykowski is a

Page 10 Repositioning Strategy
Page 12 Trade Promotions
Page 14

Consumer Promotions

Page 15

Sales Force Promotions

Page 16

Alternative Promotions

Page 18 Budget Summary

2

ABOUT US

is a junior Integrated Marketing
Communications major with an
interest in illustration. She enjoys
hanging with Disney characters
and eating quesadillas.

Lauren Quigley is a

junior Integrated Marketing
Communications major and
Legal Studies minor with an
interest in the entertainment
industry. She loves honey crisp
apples and the west coast.

Ithaca College â&#x20AC;˘ Ithaca, New York

Historical analysis
UTICA CLUB is a member of the Matt

Brewing Company family brand. Brewing beer
since 1853, it is the second oldest family-owned
brewery in the United States. They produce the
popular Saranac beer line in addition to Utica
Club and were ranked the sixth largest craft
brewing company based on beer sales volume.
The Saranac line has won several distinguished
honors, but Utica Club has not reached that level
yet. Compared to the Saranac line, it is a minor
brand. There is potential for expansion in the
marketplace because consumers’ preferences for
craft beers such as UC are on the rise (The New
Yorker). Brewers Association, a not-for-profit trade
group that reports on craft breweries, has rated
Matt Brewing Company at number 8 in 2012.
Utica Club is a 5.0% pale lager introduced in
1933. Brewed in Utica, New York (hence the
name), it was the first beer officially sold after
prohibition and was referred to as “Uncle Charlie.”
From 1959 to 1964, Utica Club ran black-andwhite television commercials featuring two talking
beer steins called “Schultz and Dooley.” In 2005,
USA Today reported that sales of “retro” beers like
UC and Pabst Blue Ribbon had increased as part
of a trend amongst younger beer drinkers. Food
and drink writer Will Gordon ranked Utica Club
as the 4th best inexpensive brew on his list of top
36 cheap American beers. Coors ranked number
three and Pabst Blue Ribbon ranked number five.
However, it has still lost its identity over the past
few decades and we intend to bring it back as a
new take on the timeless brand.

3

Competitors
Utica Club has four main competitors, including Coors Light, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Keystone Light,
and Genny Light. All three of these beers are relatively inexpensive and are considered light beers
that are easy to drink and low in calories.

Coors Light is a nationally distributed domestic beer brewed in

Colorado that is 4.2% ABV. The company sponsors the NHL, Nascar,
and Liga MX. Coors Light has a well-designed website with a
substantial amount of information. The website offers information on
different promotions they are offering including one featuring rapper
and actor, Ice Cube, and one showcasing football. They also feature
trade promotions such as beer tap innovations and cold activated pint
glasses.

Pabst Blue Ribbon, referred to as PBR, is a nationally distributed

and well-known beer in the United States. It is known as a cheap beer
that is popular amongst UC’s target market of educated 21-25 year
olds. PBR has a niche market of “hipsters” and a vintage packaging
that gives it a nostalgic feel. While PBR may have strong marketing
and presence in stores, the trend among beer drinkers has been
toward craft beers.

COORS
LIGHT

PABST
BLUE
RIBBON

Keystone Light is a product of Coors Brewing Company that is

marketed toward young professionals. While Keystone’s website
is clever, it lacks information on the beer and directs viewers to a
nonexistent Facebook page. They are known to have a witty image
and frequently use a fictitious promotional character, Keith Stone, in
their advertisements. With only 4.1% alcohol by volume, it appears
slightly weaker compared to UC’s 5.0% ABV.

KEYSTONE
LIGHT

Genesee Brewing Company’s Genny Light is in direct

competition with Utica Club. It is considered a craft brew as it is sold
regionally and in small quantities. Genny Light’s target consists mostly
of those who have completed high school, but also taps into the same
market Utica Club appeals to. Genny has a strong association with the
Rochester area and has partnered with events such as the PGA Tour. It
has generic packaging and could improve its social media presence.

To understand what beer consumers drink and why, we conducted primary
research in the form of an online survey. We surveyed 215 people from the
ages of 18 to 60. Although 18 year olds are not of legal age, we still value
their input as they will be the ones purchasing alcohol in the coming years.

“

1. What kind of
alcohol do you
consume? Of the
options provided,
what is your alcohol
of choice?

2. What brand of beer
did you last purchase for
yourself? Where did you
purchase beer the last time
you bought it? What brand
do you prefer to drink?

Those who indicated
they do not or cannot
(gluten allergy) drink
beer were not included
in our data findings.
Our goal is not to sway
people to drink beer
but rather sway beer
drinkers to choose Utica
Club. Almost everyone
included beer in alcohol
they consume, but
many preferred hard
liquor.

The purpose of these questions
is to see what brand people will
spend money on versus what
they wish to drink. We did not
find a significant correlation
between the two. Some people
put down the same brand while
others had completely different
ones. We also wanted to know
where people purchase beer to
ensure Utica Club is available
in those locations. If UC is not
currently in stock there, we will
provide trade promotions to
entice those stores to carry Utica
Club.

RESULTS
Current UC
bottle design

6

The brands of beer last
purchased range from Pabst
Blue Ribbon to Saranac to
Bud Light, among others. The
location for purchasing beer
was mainly large chains like
Wegmans, Walmart, and BJ’s,
but also included smaller stores
like Rogan’s, gas stations,
restaurants, and bars. This
indicates we need to promote
UC in all different types of
places.

OLD BRAND.
CHEAP BEER.

- Female, 23 years old

Looks like I wouldn’t buy it.
There’s too much going on
with the label. The multiple
color scheme isn’t particularly
appealing and I’m fairly certain
nobody knows what “XX Pure”
really means, and if they do,
they probably don’t believe
that this beer is “XX Pure.”
- Male, 21 years old
Utica Club - brought to you by
a city struck with poverty and
old buildings.
- Male, 22 years old

VERRRRRY RETRO.
I FEEL LIKE THIS
IS WHAT PEOPLE
DRANK IN DIVE
BARS IN THE 70S.
- Female, 21 years old

Party beer. in other words, light
and cheap, as many pilsener
beers are.
- Male, 22 years old

Research methods
3. Rank the following
attributes of beer in
order of importance:
taste, price, convenience
of purchase, popularity
amongst friends, and
calories.
We surveyed the above to
find out what respondents
generally look for in any
brand of beer so we can
position Utica Club in a
way that will appeal to their
primary needs.

RESULTS

The overall average ranking for taste was 2.66 (on a scale of
1-5 in which 1 was most important); convenience was ranked
2.85, price was ranked 2.9, calories 3.18, and popularity was
3.28. We separated the data by age group to see if there
is a correlation between important attributes and age. For
18-21 year olds, convenience (2.74) and price (2.78) are
most important, followed by calories (2.98), taste (3.0), and
popularity (3.08). Ages 22+ ranked taste as the most important
attribute. Ages 32-41 was the only age group to rank price
as least important (4.33). The youngest respondents, 1831, ranked price second on their most important attributes.
Because older people have a disposable income, they choose
beers based on quality, not price. Younger respondents
indicated they are concerned with purchasing beers within
their reach, both in price and location.

4. Of the following, which beer-drinking situation
applies the most to you: at a crowded bar on a Friday
night, at a party with your closest friends, during
dinner after a long day, or watching the football game
Sunday afternoon?
We also wanted to know the situations in which people typically
consume beer. This question helped us to understand where
people purchase beer.

RESULTS

The average age of people
who responded they
consume beer at a bar is
21. The average age of
respondents who answered
at a party was 23; watching
football was 29 and during
dinner was 31.

5. Have you heard of Utica Club before? What do you think of when you see the
picture of Utica Club shown above?
Possibly the most important question, we asked respondents if they have ever heard of Utica Club
and what they think of UC when looking at a photo of it. Even if people hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t heard of it, we
asked for their opinion solely based on the beer packaging in the photo. Their responses help us
understand how to rebrand Utica Club and reposition it to appeal to them.

RESULTS

Responses varied, but there was no direct correlation between people who have heard
of Utica Club and their thoughts about the brand. Some people who have heard of UC
liked the packaging and the beer while others didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t - same responses for those who
havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t heard of it.

7

Secondary Research

Areas that sell
Utica Club

â&#x20AC;&#x153;
8

LOOKS LIKE
A PRETTY
STANDARD
BROWN ALE.
- Male, 20 years old

We looked at places Utica Club is currently sold,
including hundreds of stores, restaurants, and bars
within a 100-mile radius of Ithaca, New York. Our
research concluded that UC could be found in
regions north and west of the Hudson Valley in New
York, as well as northeastern Pennsylvania. In these
areas, the beer can be found in a variety of different
stores, including local beverage centers (Finger
Lakes Beverage Center in Ithaca, New York), delis
and gas stations (Beer Belly Deli in Syracuse, New
York or Sunoco in Newburgh, New York) and bars
and restaurants. The closer the store location is to
Utica, the more likely chain stores like Wegmans,
Walmart, Target or Price Chopper will sell the beer.

Target Audience
We hope to introduce Utica Club to males and females ages 21 to 25.
This target audience has limited disposable income but still spends
money on social activities. College upperclassmen and post-graduates
encompass this age range. They are looking for a beer brand that is
inexpensive, fits their lifestyle, and “gets them drunk,” as stated by
respondent #128. We are positioning Utica Club as a modernized retro
beer good for those with a social lifestyle.

GOAL FOR
TARGET
AUDIENCE

MEET Lindsay

MEET dave

She just turned 21 and is looking to purchase
her first beer legally. As a senior Cortland
University student overwhelmed with school
loans, she doesn’t have a lot of money to
spend on alcohol - and her parents certainly
don’t contribute to that fund. She is looking to
consume cheap beer for her crazy weekends
spent partying at local bars and house parties,
including her recent involvement with the
Cortaca riots. Lindsay found Utica Club, her
affordable go-to beer, at Quick Stop Beverage
and Grocery on West Road near her school.

He is a 25 year-old who recently settled into his
first entry-level professional job in Syracuse, New
York. He doesn’t earn a substantial disposable
income yet, but is working hard towards doing
so. The end of a long work week is celebrated
by going out to the local pub with friends
where he looks for a cheap beer to drink while
catching up with the boys. At Nibsy’s Pub, he
orders a Utica Club and continues doing so until
he can’t remember just how bad his week was.

9

Repositioning
EXTENSIVE RESEARCH

10

on Utica Club showed that it has
low brand awareness and low
market share, lack of promotions,
and unattractive packaging.
Though it has been on the market
for 90 years, its reputation pales
in comparison to those of its
direct competitors. Research also
showed that UC is far behind its
competitors in terms of target
market awareness. The majority
of survey respondents stated
they had never heard of the
brand before. When shown an
image of the Utica Club bottle,
the respondents used words
like “old,” “normal,” “gross,”
“generic,” and “meh.” The brand
has strong opportunities, however,
including the large market of
college students and recent grads
who often drink beer, and the
rising trends of craft beers and
“retro” styles. We developed our
positioning strategy around these
responses and identified two
major goals: to increase target
market awareness and to rebrand
UC as a simple and modern beer
while maintaining its historic,
retro image. In its rebranding,
we redesigned the UC label to
make it more attractive to young
consumers. In order to increase
target market awareness, we will
use a series of trade, consumer,
sales force, and alternative
promotions.

promotions
11

trade
promotions
Trade promotions may be the most important aspect of our campaign. These promotions will
encourage resellers to buy Utica Club and promote it more aggressively. Our goals include
gaining new distributors in the central New York region, strengthening relationships with current
distributors, influencing resellers to promote Utica Club, increasing reseller purchases and inventory,
coordinating efforts with consumer promotions, and defending market share from our competitors
in the beer industry. Our trade sales promotions include trade allowances - a buying allowance and
slotting allowance - as well as free merchandise and displays.

FREE MERCHANDISE

Bars and restaurants will be offered free merchandise to entice the purchase of Utica Club. In lieu of
other discounts, free coasters will be offered to these locations for use around their establishment.
Utica Club branded coasters will be encouraged to be used for all beverages - not just beer. The
coasters will add humor to the brand to attract our target while at a bar or restaurant. This will
increase potential and current customers’ familiarity with the brand. It will help keep Utica Club top
of mind so the next time the customer orders a beer, they’ll be thinking of UC.

Buying allowances will be used when selling to bars and grocery stores. These locations will earn a
discount for purchasing Utica Club. The discount will increase as they increase purchases. Most of
the retailers are already selling Saranac beverages, so we aim to use this family brand relationship
to offer discounts when additionally purchasing Utica Club. In grocery stores, we will enact a slotting
allowance. This is the fee charged by the retailer for prime shelf space. By placing Utica Club in
an ideal location on the shelves in a grocery store, we hope our new packaging will capture the
customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eye and entice a purchase.
Buying allowance: 5% off bulk purchases x 100 distributors
(each estimated to purchase around $10,000 of beer over the
course of a year) = $50,000
Slotting allowance: $50,000 for prime shelf-space in regional
markets surrounding Utica
Source: Forbes article http://www.forbes.com/
forbes/2002/0415/130.html

DISPLAYS

To complement the coupon consumer promotion,
we will offer display sticker advertisements on
cooler doors in grocery stores, gas stations, and
convenience marts. These displays advertise the
product offered in the store and will help Utica Club
stand out amongst the other brands surrounding it
on the shelves.

To entice consumers to purchase Utica Club in stores, we will offer a coupon directly on the packaging.
It will be a sticker that can be peeled off and instantly used. The “Save $1 on a 6-pack” promotion
will attract the younger crowd since they rank the price attribute high on what they look for when
purchasing beer. Since they don’t have a lot of money to spend, a coupon is an immediate way to
bargain shop. These coupons will be offered in chain grocery stores as well as small gas station
marts and convenience stores.

To encourage the Utica Club sales force to sell a large amount of beer, we will be implementing two
sales force promotions including a bonus and a contest. Both sales force promotions will help to
motivate the sales force, reward outstanding performance, and improve performance.
Each sales person will receive 5% of every sale they make of Utica Club in addition to their current
salary. The highest performer for every quarter will also win a 16GB iPad Air. This contest will
encourage friendly competition between the sales people and will serve as an additional incentive.
They will also receive a certificate from the CEO in recognition of their achievements.

Alternative
promotions
We will go beyond traditional promotions to attract customers through alternative promotions.
These promotions will capture the attention of the entire target audience, including both old and
new drinkers of Utica Club, through dynamic events and entertainment.

SPONSORED BEER PONG TOURNAMENTS

To better acquaint consumers with Utica Club, we plan to sponsor beer pong tournaments at the
most popular bars in regions where the brand is sold. Each bar will hold five tournaments. We will
provide pitchers of UC to the final eight teams in the tournament to enjoy at no cost to them, as well
as provide the bars with branded UC merchandise. The merchandise includes branded beer pong
tables, red party cups, and pong balls. Our goal is to create positive memories of the brand for consumers by encouraging them to compete in a fun drinking game while simultaneously indulging in
Utica Club beer. These events will be beneficial to customers who have previous experience with
the brand as well as new consumers; all participants will associate Utica Club with fun memories
by the end of the night. It is our hope that customers will be more apt to purchase Utica Club in the
future after participating in the sponsored tournaments.

Utica Club will be a sponsor at the 2014 New York State Fair, running from August 21st to September
1st in Syracuse, New York. By paying $50,000, UC will reach the â&#x20AC;&#x153;white ribbonâ&#x20AC;? level, which
provides the brand with recognition on-site and in Fair communications, exhibit space, sampling
opportunities, a built in activation credit, and a package of VIP tickets. The $3,000 activation credit
provided with the package will be used to pay for Utica Club employees and promo girls to work
the event. The additional Fair tickets, concert tickets and parking passes will be given to beer pong
tournament winners to tie in other promotions. Six public address announcements per day will be
made in addition to on-site signage. The greatest benefit is the opportunity to provide samples onsite throughout the duration of the Fair. Utica Club receives a designated exhibit space to provide
samples and promote the brand. Because over 1 million people attend the Fair to see popular
music acts, Utica Club will gain significant exposure, especially to young concert goers.

16

“UNCLE CHARLIE’S ANGELS” PROMO GIRLS

Stereotypically, men who have had a few beers to drink are drawn to hot girls. So why not hire attractive women to promote Utica Club by serving free samples at bars? These women will serve
samples while wearing Utica Club attire. This will allow people who are unaware of Utica Club to
try it for the first time, and will also serve as a reminder for those who are aware of the brand, but
who may not drink it as often. We will call them “Uncle Charlie’s Angels” in recognition of “Uncle
Charlie,” an affectionate nickname that loyal Utica Club drinkers have developed for the brand. By
employing these “Uncle Charlie’s Angels” to serve samples in bars, we will increase both awareness
and brand recognition, and encourage future purchases.
Wage = $25/hour (each girl works 2 hours and
there are 2 girls per venue) = $100 per night per place
50 places x $100 = $5,000
5 appearances at each place x $5,000 = $25,000
Branded dresses: 10 dresses x $50 each = $500